BBC Faces Accusations of Censorship After Removing Prince Andrew Joke From Drag Race Episode – Jezebel

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The BBC has reportedly come under fire for censorship after editing an episode of RuPauls Drag Race Down Under in order to remove a joke made about Prince Andrew. Prince Andrew, a longtime associate of convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, was essentially sidelined from royal life after being accused of participating in the sex trafficking and sexual abuse of Virginia Giuffre, who was a minor at the time of the alleged incidents.

During the Snatch Game challenge, Drag Race Down Under competitor Anita Wiglitwho was dressed in full drag as Queen Elizabeth II at the timemade a joke referencing the allegations against Prince Andrew, commenting: I wish a dingo would have taken my baby, then I wouldnt have anything to do with Prince Andrew anymore. Some sources are also reporting that the BBC removed another joke made by Anita Wiglit about Prince Andrew.When somebody turns 100, I write them a letter, and when somebody turns 16 Prince Andrew sends them a text, she joked. The original broadcast also contained a joke made by an in-character Anita Wiglit about Prince Philipwhich was also removed by the BBC after being deemed inappropriate for British viewers.

A BBC spokesperson confirmed that the joke about Prince Andrew had been removed but did not elaborate on the reasoning behind that decision, instead saying: The BBC occasionally makes edits to acquired programmes in accordance with UK audience expectations.

I personally dont think there are many circumstances where its appropriate to joke about sexual abuse and pedophilia, especially considering the deeply horrific details we know about the as-yet-unaddressed allegations against Prince Andrew. But the BBCs choice to censor these particular jokes in accordance with UK audience expectations appears to be a failed attempt to shield the royal family from even comedic critique. This is the second time in recent months where the BBCs decisions on how to cover the royal family garnered pushback from viewersthe first was when the broadcaster decided to dedicate all its channels to covering Prince Philips death, a choice that attracted a record-breaking number of viewer complaints.

The BBCs censorship also appears to only apply to comments about certain members of the royal family. During the very same segment from which the BBC removed the Prince Andrew joke, they left in anotherjoke from Anita Wiglit as Elizabeth II, in which she remarked that heradvice to Meghan Markle was dont piss me off and wear a seatbelt.

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BBC Faces Accusations of Censorship After Removing Prince Andrew Joke From Drag Race Episode - Jezebel